Developing device

ABSTRACT

A DEVELOPING DEVICE FOR A TRANSFER METHOD USING TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS EACH OF WHICH IS GUIDED THROUGH A DIFFERENT TREATMENT TANK. THE TREATMENT TANKS ARE NESTED TOGETHER AND CONNECTIONS ARE PROVIDED TO SUPPLY SEPARATE TREATMENT FLUID TO EACH- OF THE TREATMENT TANKS. THE LOWER TREATMENT TANK HAS A CHAMBER FORMED ALONG A PART OF ONE SIDE WITH AN OPENING INTO THE CHAMBER. THE UPPER TREATMENT TANK WHICH NESTS INTO THE LOWER ONE HAS A SOCKET EXTENDING FROM ITS SIDE WHICH FITS INTO THE OPENING INTO THE CHAMBER FOR PROVIDING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CHAMBER AND THE UPPER TREATMENT TANK. SUPPORTS ARE FORMED ON THE UPPER TREATMENT TANK WHICH FIT INTO ABUTMENTS ON THE LOWER TREATMENT TANK FOR POSITIONING THE TREATMENT TANKS IN A NESTED ARRANGEMENT AND MAINTAINING THE ROCKET IN POSITION WITHIN THE OPENING INTO THE CHAMBER.

Nov. 23, 1971 w UMBERGER ETAL 3,621,773

DEVELOPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1969 Fig. 4

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DEVELOPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1969 JShcots--Shcot 3 lm enfors wnL e/ LIMBER6Q TURbE/V LIHBER6E/? qr'rokui y:

United States Patent 3,621,773 DEVELOPING DEVICE Walter Limberger and Jiirgen Limberger, Hamburg- Poppenhuttel, Germany, assignors to Lumoprint Zindler KG., Hamburg, Germany Filed Aug. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 848,915 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 23, 1968,

Int. Cl. G03d 13/04 US. Cl. 95-96 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A developing device for a transfer method using two different materials each of which is guided through a different treatment tank. The treatment tanks are nested together and connections are provided to supply separate treatment fluid to each of the treatment tanks. The lower treatment tank has a chamber formed along a part of one side with an opening into the chamber. The upper treatment tank which nests into the lower one has a socket extending from its side which fits into the opening into the chamber for providing fluid communication between the chamber and the upper treatment tank. Supports are formed on the upper treatment tank which fit into abutments on the lower treatment tank for positioning the treatment tanks in a nested arrangement and maintaining the socket in position within the opening into the chamber.

In hitherto proposed developing devices of this kind, with two treatment tanks or baths, the connection of the upper or inner bath extends in the direction of the down dip or force of gravity. In order to provide a good seal for this connection when the upper tank is fitted, it is necessary to push the upper or inner treatment tank in a downward direction, preferably by means of springs.

If these special features, which are not easily accomplished, particularly with the interested arrangement of two treatment tanks, are not present or are diflicult to be realized, it is known to supply or remove the fluid by means of a siphon. The connection of such a siphon through a hose to a flexible storage tank was usually also in the direction of the down dip or gravity.

Where flexible storage tanks are to be connected to known treatment tanks of developing devices, it is generally necessary to operate special connecting sockets on the treatment tank, and these connecting sockets may be mounted on hose members. In order to ensure their accessibility, they are usually located adjacent to the treatment tanks. Hence, they require much space and this is not always available in a copying device of compact construction.

In addition to the space requirements, the use of two treatment tanks raised special problems in that two hose connections had to be made. and this required normally double the amount of work. If, however, an improved method can be applied by the use of two baths, then the aim must be not to present a greater mechanical expenditure for housing and connecting the operating fluids than would be required if one bath only were used.

It is an object of the invention to provide a developing device with two different baths.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a second developing device with two baths with, internesting of the baths for connecting automatically one connecting socket, make do with the minimum amount of space.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a device of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, in which no additional means are required for making the connection between the sockets.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a construction of a developing device with two treatment baths,

wherein the connection with the storage tanks is made with even lower expenditure than was hitherto required for making the connection with only a single storage tank.

According to the invention, a lower tank has, on one side wall, a chamber, the wall of which facing the treatment tank has an aperture, and the inner or upper bath has, on one side wall, a socket adapted to be inserted into the said opening, and on the other side wall an abutment which engages with a support on the lower treatment tank, after the socket has been inserted in this manner. In this manner, by fiitting the upper treatment tank and engaging the abutment with its support, a device is established between the treatment tanks in the direction parallel to the axis of the opening, whereby the connection is ensured without any special means, since the treatment tanks have firm walls.

Preferable, the said chamber extends into the interior of the lower treatment tank, thus providing a particularly space-saving arrangement.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall of the chamber with the opening extends parallel to the direction of movement of the copying materials. This provides favourable conditions for the sealing contact pressure, because this chamber wall and side walls parallel thereto can be arranged perpendicularly, whilst the walls located at right angles thereto of the treatment tanks for the developing fluid may rise gradually.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the socket of the upper treatment tank is equipped with an axially compressible seal, preferably a labyrinth seal, which resiliently counteracts its compression, whilst, compared with the wall of the chamber and the facing side wall of the lower treatment tank, the length of the upper treatment tank or bath is such that, when the upper treatment tank is fitetli, the seal is elastically compressed and forms a tight sea In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower treatment tank has a downwardly facing bottom recess ending at a section at the lowest point of the chamber and having another, preferably adjacent, section at the lowest point of the lower treatment tank, wherein both sections have a connecting socket. The connecting socket is equipped for connection to a hose.

These hose connections may be otfset after the manner of steps, the essential feature being that the connecting sockets are located under the bottom of the upper treatment tank and are therefore not easily accessible and protected. It is an essential feature of the invention that the seal s mounted parallel to a side wall of the upper tank with 1ts axis across the direction of flow of the liquid, wherein the seal is made under pressure during the fitting of the upper treatment tank.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the seal is disc shaped with concentric, substantially polnted rings on both sides and lugs on the periphery which are elastically compressible.

Although it has been mentioned that the connecting sockets are not quite easily accessible, their easy operation is achieved in that a lever is mounted adjacent to the base recess, and is pivotable about a pivot extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane defined b the two sockets, wherein the lever is biased by spring means in the direction towards the sockets and carries a mounting for two hose connections associated with the sockets. In this manner the connection between the treatment tanks can be easily made or disconnected without having to carry out any operations on the underside of the treatment tank. The insertion of the connecting hoses of the storage tanks may be substantially facilitated by guide means.

In the preferred embodiment, the hose connections are the ends of hoses of a storage tank divided by a seam into two bagsfor different fluids of which one is associated with each treatment tank.

The invention Will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower or outer treatment tank with a part of the bath broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper or inner treatment tank provided for the lower or outer treatment tank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a copying apparatus with a developing section according to the invention in crosssection, showing only the parts of the developing section, the cross-section being taken along an upper plane located parallel to the direction of passage of the copying materials;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section along the line IVIV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the developing device, and particularly of the lower or outer treatment tank, functionally connected to the flexible storage tanks, and viewed obliquely from below;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section through a part of FIG. 5 along the line VIVI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale.

Identical parts in all figures are marked with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows the lower or outer treatment tank 1. This tank consists of a bottom 2 which may be upwardly concave in the direction parallel to the direction of passage of the copying material and terminates in end walls 3, 4, perpendicular to the direction of passage and between which perpendicular side walls 5 and 6 are arranged. Guide ribs 7, 8, starting from either end wall 3, 4 are located in this treatment tank; these ribs decline towards the centre and a recess is formed between them; in the region of this recess the base plate 2 forms a groove 9. Near one side Wall 5 this groove leads to a lowest point 10 of the base. This lowest point terminates in a socket 11 leading out of the treatment tank.

A chamber 12 is formed on the side wall 5; in the preferred embodiment this chamber 12 is formed by wall portions 13, 14, 15, extending from the base 2 and terminating in the plane defined by the upper edges of the walls 3 to 6. In this embodiment the chamber 12 extends beyond the centre of the treatment tank 1 as viewed in the direction of passage of the copying materials and has, in its lower range, about in the centre of the tank an aperture 16 in the side wall 33 facing the interior of the tank. Preferably, this aperture 16 is in the zone of the groove 9.

As may be seen more clearly from FIG. 5, the base has on the side on which the chamber 12 is located, a step 17, facing the centre of the base plate of the treatment tank 1 and defining a recess 58 extending along the underside of this treatment tank 1. At this step terminates the said socket 11 at the lowest point of the tank 1 and, adjacent thereto, a further socket at a surface 19 parallel to the side wall 5, and defined by a step 18. This second socket 20 leads into the chamber 12. Both sockets have different length relative to the stepped surface 18 and terminate in the same plane between the side walls 5 and 6.

The upper or inner treatment tank 21 is shown in FIG. 2. This tank has a base 22, side walls 23 and 24, extending parallel to the direction of passage of the copying material, and end walls 25, 26, of which the former may be practically vertical and the latter inclined. The base is upwardly concave and is provided with a groove extending along the line 27, leading to a lowest point 28, where an opening is provided, which passes through the side wall 24 and terminates in a socket 29 on the outside. The path within the upper or inner treatment tank 21 is determined by guide elements 30, 31 in the shape of ribs,

corresponding in their configuration substantially to the guide ribs 7 and 8 in FIG. I, but which may also be of a different construction, and which cooperate with guide means of the material.

It may be seen from FIG. 1 that the side wall 6, and the chamber wall 14, parallel to the side wall 5, have supports 32, 33 on the top, adapted to receive supports 34, 35 on the side walls 23, 24 of the upper or inner treatment tank 21 in order to locate the same in the lower or outer treatment tank.

For the insertion or fitting, the upper or inner treatment tank 21 is inserted obliquely so that first the socket 29 enters into the opening 16, which automatically positions the support 35 on the corresponding support recess 33; after this insertion, the upper tank is pushed down so that the support 34 comes to rest in the supporting recess 32 and the upper or inner tank is located firmly in the lower or outer tank, as far as the insertion of the socket 29 in the opening 16 is concerned. No special contact pressure or spring means are required for this purpose.

FIG. 3 shows the assembled bath tanks 1 and 21 inside a copying apparatus, of which only the cover plate 36 is shown in detail. This cover plate 36 has a step 37 on the inlet side and an inlet 38 for the copying material is provided in this step.

The arrangement of the step is such that a receiving material may be placed through the opening 38 on top of the rib-like guide elements 31 whilst a transfer material may be introduced between the guide ribs 8 of the lower treatment tank 1 and correspondingly arranged guide ribs 39 on the underside of the base 22 of the upper treatment tank 21. The path defined by the guide ribs and the path for the receiving material ends on the outlet side above the upper edge of the guide elements 30 under a pair of squeeze and transport rollers 40, 41 arranged in the copier under the cover plate and driven in the direction indicated by the arrows. Above the zone of contact between the rollers, the cover plate has a delivery slot 42.

As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 4, the side walls 23 and 24 of the upper treatment tank have inwardly raised bearing lugs 43, 44 with upwardly open, vertical slots 45, 46 into which fit the ends of a spindle carrying a wetting roller 49. This wetting roller, serving to provide surface wetting as well known in the art and dipping with its lower portion into the fluid in the upper or inner tank, has preferably the already proposed construction of a hollow cylinder, the end wall of which has holes for mounting the stub spindles 47, 48 so that this cylinder serves at the same time as agitating element.

A contact pressure roller 50 is mounted above the developing section with the treatment tanks 1 and 21 in mounting walls of the housing, extending parallel to the plane of the drawing; this roller 50 is pressed resiliently in the direction indicated by the arrow 51 and is rotatively driven in the direction of the arrow 52. The roller 50 also retains the application roller 49 in its slotted mountings 45, 46.

FIG. 4 also shows the guide ribs 39. It may also be seen that the base 22 drops towards the socket 29. Furthermore, the distance between the side walls 23 and 24 of the upper or inner treatment tank is smaller than the distance between the side wall '6 of the lower or outer treatment tank and the wall portion 14 of the chamber 12. It should be noted that a seal 53 is arranged in the wall portion 14 surrounding the opening 16. As shown in FIG. 4,'the socket 29 passes through this seal 53. However, the sealing elements 53 may also be arranged on the socket 29. The differences in the distances between the wall portions 23 and 24 on the one hand, and between the parts 6 and 14 on the other hand are such that, when the upper and lower treatment tanks are fitted, elements of the seal 53 are so compressed that there is no connection between the interior of the treatment tank 1 and the chamber 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the seal 53 (FIG. 7) consists of a disc 54, having on both sides concentric and substantially pointed rings 56, 57 with substantially triangular cross-section and two tongues 70, 71, extending along the peripheryobliquely towards the outside.

The seal may be made, for example, of soft polyvinyl chloride. When the seal is relieved, there exists a certain gap. This gap is overcome by the contact pressure of the walls 14, 24 during the insertion of the upper or inner treatment tank and the contact pressure is so increased, under deformation of at least the tongues 70, 71 and under the wedge-like effect of the annular portion 55, that a fluid-tight seal is achieved preferably also by means of the rings 56, 57 after the manner of a labyrinth.

The compression of the seal by means of inserting the upper treatment tank 21 is here achieved without any special means, and by support between the side Walls. Hence, this sealing connection of the socket 29 may be made very easily and may be equally easily undone, without the necessity of operating any special elements or means. The arrangement of the chamber 12 inside the treatment tank 1 saves in a most surprisingmanner dead space which was hitherto necessary in copying apparatus of this kind.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it may be seen therefrom that the base recess 58 extends in the centre region adjacent to a downwardly directed projection 59 of the base 2 of the outer or lower treatment tank. Thus, the surfaces 17 and 19 of the steps face from the edge towards the center.

In front of these steps, a pivoting lever 60 is mounted, for example, on a pivot 61, located adjacent to the base recess 58. Thus, this pivoting lever is adapted to be moved towards the sockets 11, 20'. Between the pivoting lever 60 and an abutment 62 on the projection 59, there is a tension spring 63, tending to move the lever 62 towards the steps 11, 20.

Preferably, a lug or pin 65 is arranged on the pivoting lever 60, serving as pivot bearing for a mounting and distance member 64-. This mounting and distance member 64 receives and fixes the ends of two hoses 66, 67, leading to flexible bags 68, '69. These bags 68, 69 are parts of a storage tank 71, divided by a seam, such as a welded seam, for example, as shown at 72, forming separate bags 68, 69 for different fluids. This substantially facilitates the operation with two diflerent fluids. The distance member 64 is fitted to the two hoses 66, 67 when the bag is manufactured so that the operator has only to fit the distance and mounting member 64 to the pin 65. In this manner, the connection between the lever 60 and the hoses is easily established.

The drawing does not show in detail how the ends of the hoses 66, 67 are fixed or clamped in the mounting and distance member 64, and this may be easily achieved by known means. However, it may be seen from FIG. that the sockets 11 and taper conically at their ends so that the hose ends are automatically sealed under contact pressure under the action of the spring 63.

The outer end of the lever 60 has a handle 70. By means of this handle the hose connection can be automatically released for changing the bags 68, 69.

This construction has the advantage that the mounting and distance member 64 may be easily fitted to the pivoting lever 60 whilst, once the connection has been made, the spring 63 provides the sealing pressure necessary for the operation.

The lever, 60 may also be so located that, when the lever is pivoted against the action of the spring 63, the pin 65 is easily accessible for fitting the mounting and distance member 64 after releasing the lever 60, the seal ing connection is automatically established and maintained in an inaccessible zone under the action of the spring 63.

We claim:

1. An improved developing device for a transfer method using two materials each of which is guided through a different bath, comprising a first treatment tank and a second treatment tank in a nested arrangement one within and spaced from the other, means for connecting each of said first and second treatment tanks to a separate flexible storage tank so that treatment fluid can be charged into and discharged from said treatment tanks, said first treatment tank having an arcuate base with an upright end wall at each of the base which walls extend transversely of the path of the material through said first treatment tank and upright side walls extending between the ends of said end walls, upright wall means extending upwardly from said base of said first treatment tank and secured to one of said side walls and the adjacent end of one of said end walls and extending along and spaced from the one said side wall and combining with said base, the one said side wall, and the one said end wall to form a chamber located within the interior of said first treatment tank, said upright wall means having an opening therein facing into the interior of said first treatment tank, said second treatment tank having a base, an end wall at each end of said base which walls extend transversely of the path of the material through said second treatment tank and upright side walls extending between the ends of said end walls of said second treatment tank, a projecting socket secured to one of said side walls of said second treatment tank and having a passageway therethrough communicating with the interior of said second treatment tank, said socket arranged to fit into the opening in said upright wall means of said chamber when said second treatment tank is nested into said first treatment tank and to provide fluid communication between said chamber and the interior of said second treatment tank, a support on the other one of said side walls of said second treatment chamber, and an abutment formed in the other one of said side walls of said first treatment tank remote from said chamber being arranged to receive said support on said second treatment tank for positioning and maintaining said socket in the opening in said upright wall means of said chamber.

2. A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said upright wall means of said chamber has at least two sections thereof disposed at right angles to each other, the section of said wall means containing the opening being disposed in parallel relationship with the direction of the passage of copying material through said first treatment tank.

3. A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that axially compressible sealing means is provided on said socket of said second treatment tank and arranged to resiliently counteract compression, wherein the length of said second treatment tank between its said side walls relative to the length between said upright wall means forming said chamber and the other said side wall of said first treatment tank is such that when said socket is fitted into the opening in said chamber and said second treatment tank'is nested within said first treatment tank, the sealing means are elastically and sealingly compressed.

4. A developing device, as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that said sealing means has an axis parallel to said side walls'of said first treatment tank, and the sealing engagement of said sealing means being effected by exerting pressure during the fitting of said second treatment tank in nested arrangement within said first treatment tank.

5. A developing device, as set forth in claim 3, char acterized in that said sealing means comprises a disc having a pair of concentrically arranged substantially pointed rings on each side of said disc, and a pair of tongues extending radially outwardly from said disc, said pointed rings and tongues being elastically compressible.

6. A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said first treatment tank includes a recess in its said base having a first section terminating at the lowest point of said chamber, and a second section located at the lowest point of said first treatment tank, said means for connecting each of said first and second treatment tanks to a separate flexible storage tank comprises a first connecting socket connected into said chamber and 7 a second connecting socket connected into said first treatment tank.

7. A developing device, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that said recess formed in the underside of said base of said first treatment tank, and said first and second sockets are located below said base of said first treatment tank.

8. A developing device, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that a lever is positioned adjacent the underside of said first treatment tank within the range of the recess therein, said lever being pivotally mounted about an axis disposed substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by said first and second sockets, spring means secured to said lever and the underside of said first treatment tank for biasing said lever toward said first and 15 10. A developing device, as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that said separate flexible storage tanks consists of a single member divided by a seam into a first and a second bag-like storage tank for fluids.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,148,611 9/1964 Eisner et a1. 9589 X 3,165,998 1/1965 Reick 9589 3,283,689 11/1966 Carlson 95--89 3,517,600 6/1970 Woollacott 9589 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,017 3/1956 Germany 9589 SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner F. L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

